The Self in the Lab
MULTIPLE
Here we present a series of portraits drawn/generated by participants in the Biotales workshops. They include hand-drawn portraits, AI generated images and collages.
Anupama
Two worlds, one PhD life. On the one hand, I’m a field ecologist: 2-3 months immersed in the wild, blending into nature. A camera dangles from my neck, a GPS clutched in one hand, and a data diary on the other. My feet are encased in muddy, heavy, and stinky gumboots. It’s always wet, always unpredictable. My eyes are constantly darting from one precious plant to another, worrying about sample collection setups, and about the occasional animal visitor that drops by to say hello. Oh, and let’s not forget those huge boulders that can fall on the roads anytime.
Far from family, often without network connectivity, surviving on one proper meal a day, and hauling 5-6 enormous bags of fieldwork gear, I’ve learned to treat every sample I collect like gold. Fieldwork, as I often remind the so-called 'non-ecologists,' is not a field trip. It’s a gritty, gruelling adventure. Yet, despite the hardships, the support of local communities and the raw beauty of the wild make every drop of sweat worth it. Every piece of data I gather feels like a treasure, earned through resilience and respect for nature.
PhD- Pretty Hard Degree to get, according to my colleague
Illustration by Anupama
On the flip side, I’m a laboratory researcher: a solitary scientist in my sanctuary, the chilly Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry room. This is where I oscillate between euphoria and despair—jumping with joy when fragrance peaks appear on my chromatograms and groaning in frustration when the results are nowhere to be found. Deadlines loom endlessly, machine failure haunts me, and progress presentations are a constant source of self-doubt. My mind is a whirlwind of data, hypotheses, and the occasional existential crisis.
Yet, amidst the chaos, there’s a strange comfort in the hum of the machines and the pursuit of discovery.
Two halves, one life—each with its own challenges and triumphs, yet drives me forward because of my love for the research.
I depict myself as a researcher working with the model plant Arabidopsis, frequently checking its growth for various experiments. A large part of my work has been spent on proteomics studies. The protein structure from right to left is slowly turning into colour symbolising my research taking shape. My lush green campus is an integral part of my PhD which is in the background.
Visual by Anjana
Anjana
Akash
Akash generated his AI image using this prompt:
An early 30s, South Asian man, with a stubbled beard, in a lab-like space, working on and contemplating about all things human evolution, genetics, archaeology, stone tools, fossils, human bones, animal bones, pollen, rocks, forests, geology and fieldwork. He is calm, yet confident. Somewhat overwhelmed by the many things and tasks, but looking at the broader picture of why. Make the illustration in a sketch or cartoon style.
AI-generated image prompted by Akash
Olivia
This is Olivia and this is what the majority of her time in the lab looks like where she is anaesthetising the fruit flies (Drosophila), observing their phenotype under a microscope, maintaining them in small bottles and simultaneously listening to some podcast or music.
Prompts used for image generation- Create an image with the following feature: a female scientist in the lab working with Drosophila; Give an Indian face and origin and add a touch of being a music enthusiast.
AI-generated image prompted by Olivia
About Anupama
Anupama is a final-year PhD student at the Tropical Ecology and Evolution lab at IISER Bhopal, where she dives into the fascinating world of floral fragrances of wild tropical gingers. During free hours, you’ll likely find her singing, painting, or capturing the beauty of the world through her camera.
About Anjana
Anjana Hegde is a PhD graduate from IISc Bengaluru. She loves exploring nature and painting in her free time.
About Akash
Akash Srinivas is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research (CIAR), Ashoka University. He is a prehistoric archaeologist, and his research interests primarily concern with palaeoanthropology and palaeolithic archaeology, incorporating a multidisciplinary approach. He was awarded his Doctorate from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali. He has a Masters in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology from Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, and an Erasmus Mundus International Masters in Quaternary and Prehistory from a European consortium of institutions based in Italy, Spain, France and Portugal. He has carried out fieldwork at various sites in India, Italy, Germany, Spain and Tanzania, including prominent sites such as Hathnora (India) and Atapuerca (Spain). He also engages in public archaeology and science communication, and is the co-host of the podcast ‘Chippin’ Away’.
About Olivia
Olivia is currently pursuing Ph.D. from the Department of Zoology at Banaras Hindu University, India. Beyond her research, she is passionate about science communication -whether through public talks, writing or digital media, she enjoys breaking down intricate ideas into engaging narratives to inspire curiosity and understanding.
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